Lycoming®  The Engines of
ChoiceLycoming® produces the most
complete line of horizontally opposed, air-cooled four-, six-, and
eight-cylinder certified aircraft engines available, with power ranging
from 100 to 400 HP. For homebuilders, air race and aerobatic pilots, and
others looking for non-certified engines with Lycoming
dependability, Lycoming offers custom-built Thunderbolt Engines.
Lycoming piston engines have a reputation for reaching or
exceeding TBO.
For more information, please visit
Lycoming.com.

CUB
SURVIVES CRASH, PILOT'S CAREER MAY NOTCivil fines and a
possible court injunction that would prevent future acquisition of a
pilot certificate may be sought for 26-year-old Edwin Stoltenberg, who
crashed his father's Super Cub on a sand bar in Alaska last weekend.
Stoltenberg may have been at the controls, but he is not a certificated
pilot, nor does he hold a valid medical, according to Alaskan NBC
affiliate KTUU. The channel reported Thursday that Stoltenberg was denied his
medical in August of 2008 because the FAA found he had three convictions
for drunken driving and has since acquired a fourth. According to the NTSB preliminary report, witnesses say the young man
made several passes on the river, maybe as many as five or six, touching
the aircraft's wheels to the water before contact with a sand bar
flipped the aircraft. Although on a river in Alaska, the precise area of
the flight was populated at the time with at least one family and two
other children who were fishing. After the wreck, one young man
approached the inverted aircraft, saw Stoltenberg inside and heard his
first words, "Don't call the cops." But the drama doesn't end there.
More...

3 Airplanes ... 3 Levels ...
1 Edition ... Ice
New for 2009, Cirrus Aircraft shakes the lineup with a new way to
spec out your new Cirrus. SR20, SR22, andTurbo models are now available in three well-equipped trim levels
- "S," "GS," and "GTS"; Known Ice
Protection is ready to go on SR22 and Turbo models; or
choose an all-new premium interior and exterior upgrade package dubbed
"X-Edition."
Visit CirrusAircraft.com for
details.

OBAMA
ACTS, CONTROLLERS REACTThe Obama administration Thursday
announced that it will create a mediation team to immediately address
the FAA/NATCA contract dispute and NATCA President Patrick Forrey was
quick to respond with praise. Controllers have been dissatisfied with
work conditions since contract negotiations broke down and the FAA
imposed non-negotiated work rules on the union nearly three years ago.
NATCA understood the president's comments and action to indicate that
the administration's resolve to stabilize the controller workforce and
restore a collaborative work environment is a top priority. Said Forrey,
"With this bold step, President Obama is fulfilling his commitment to
the safety and modernization of the air traffic control system and to
the dedicated men and women safety professionals who run the system each
day." Forrey added thanks to Transportation Secretary LaHood "for his
leadership and commitment to resolving this issue." More...

NETJETS
AND UNION AVOID LAYOFFSNetJets Aviation Inc., the Berkshire
Hathaway owned and largest fractional jet ownership operator in the
U.S., has agreed with its pilots union on voluntary measures to avoid
layoffs. Since December, declines in the use of fractional jets have
ranged up to 50 percent in monthly year-over-year figures. NetJets
specifically had to contend with that as a reduction in revenue while
also writing down the value of its fleet by $54 million to reflect the
falling value of its fleet. Faced with that, NetJets executives and
union leaders for the NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots
cooperatively devised cost-cutting measures that would avoid layoffs
during the business decline. NetJets pilots have been encouraged by
their union leaders to choose either reduced work hours, leaves of
absence or early retirement. In a letter to its members, the union
called the measures, "unparalleled in the aviation industry and
reflective of a genuine labor-management partnership," and encouraged
pilots to select one of the proposed options. More...

Fly with Bose® Aviation Headset X®
Enjoy an unmatched combination of full-spectrum noise reduction, clearer
audio, and comfortable fit. Voted the #1 headset for the eighth
consecutive year in Professional Pilot's 2008 Headset Preference
Survey.
Learn more and order.

PIPER
HAS BEEN SOLDThe new owner of Piper Aircraft Inc., is
Imprimis, "a corporate finance and investment management firm that
operates from its offices in Bangkok, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam."
Production and product development facilities will remain in Vero Beach,
Fla., according to the new owners. Imprimis stated in a Friday press
release that it fully supports PiperJet development and intends to
aggressively expand Piper's activities, especially in Asia Pacific,
targeting pilot training and both commercial and private flying clubs.
Speaking for Imprimis, managing partner Stephen W. Berger said his
company is dedicated to growing Piper in existing markets and Asian
markets "where much of our focus lies." More...

A Life Insurance Policy That
Returns All of Your Premiums?  YES
The Return of Premium Term policy available through Pilot Insurance
Center features fixed premiums and guarantees to return the total of all
premiums at the end of the policy. No aviation exclusions. Call (800)
380-8376 or
visit PICLife.com.

BOEING
FLOATS DATE FOR 787 DREAMLINER TEST FLIGHTAbout 60 percent
of the required certification work is in the hands of the FAA and the
aircraft itself is in the paint shop, but Boeing is setting expectations
for first flight of the 787 Dreamliner, saying it anticipates liftoff
prior to July 1. First test flights had once been expected in late 2007
with deliveries to begin in mid-2008, but with that development (and
those delays) in the past, chief project engineer Michael Delaney told
reporters the pace of certification has been "far superior to anything
we've ever done before." Prior to certification, six aircraft will be
built and deployed for testing. Two will have GE engines and four will
run Rolls Royce engines. Customer aircraft will likely be powered by
more efficient engines developed as a joint venture by GE and Snecma of
France. Flight tests should last nearly 9 months, followed soon
thereafter with FAA airworthiness certification and first delivery in
2010. If times then are anything like times now, fuel conservation will
be a lead element in airlines' ability to prosper, or survive.
More...

HONDAJET
ANNOUNCES DELAYS, BLAMES SUPPLIERSHondaJet conforming
aircraft will probably not fly before January 2010 with customer
deliveries now projected for fourth quarter 2011 -- a year later than
originally hoped. Honda Aircraft Company Thursday released the news with
the explanation that "ongoing global aerospace industry business
challenges" have delayed the arrival of critical components. Honda is
working with "leading industry suppliers" in the manufacture of many
major subassemblies and says that delays in delivery of some critical
components forced the company to push back its schedule. The company
said in a news release it remains "confident we will deliver to our
customers the best-performing and best-valued light jet in the
industry." HondaJet is currently priced at $3.9 million and claims
"significantly lower fuel consumption than any light jet of its size."
More...

Piper Meridian 
ExhilaratingPiper Meridian. Power. Pure and simple. Relax in business jet
luxury with turbine simplicity for 30% less than any comparable
six-place turbine-powered aircraft.

NO
FULL PLANE PARACHUTE? NO PROBLEMA Cessna 182 crashed Friday
after departing Thun Field, Wash., when the aircraft reportedly lost
power and the pilot tried to turn back for the runway -- a move that
often puts pilots in a world of ... excrement. Things were no different
in this case, but as fate would have it, that world may be exactly what
saved the pilot from substantial injury. The aircraft fell short of the
runway, clipped a fence and flipped upside-down into a stand of
porta-potties. Fortunately for the pilot, the portable toilets had what
it took to absorb or dissipate the remaining kinetic energy of the crash
and the pilot "walked away apparently unhurt," according to the
Associated Press. Fortunately for everyone else (including, we assume,
the NTSB), the porta-potties were not deployed in service at the time,
but were sitting idle and empty (we pray, of everything) in a storage
yard. More...

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 
The World's Greatest Aviation CelebrationJuly 27 - August 2 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin
This year is too BIG to miss. Literally. Witness the world's
largest airliner  the Airbus A380; see the first world public
debut of Virgin Galactic's WhiteKnightTwo; attend appearances by the
U.S. Airways Flight 1549 cockpit crew; and enjoy performances by the
Doobie Brothers on opening day and comedian Jeff Dunham Saturday night.
Save time and money when you buy your
tickets online now.

WASP
SEEKS YOUR VOICE AND RECOGNITIONThe Women Airforce Service
Pilots (WASP) are the subject of Bill S614 that would recognize, with
the award of a Congressional Gold Medal, their service during World War
II, and they are asking that supporting voices speak up and be heard.
The intent of the WASP program was to free up male combat pilots from
stateside duty during the war but ultimately it "served as a catalyst
for revolutionary reform in the integration of women pilots into the
Armed Services," according to the bill. From 1942 to 1944, WASPs
instructed, transported cargo and personnel, ferried aircraft and more,
but they were never commissioned or given active duty status and only
earned veteran status decades later. Those interested in supporting the
congressional award should check the position of their representatives,
here, which offers "not" and "on board" lists and
suggests simple actions you can take to convey your interests to your
representatives. More...

LUCKY
AV8OR WINNERSAlmost 10,000 people entered our contest,
sponsored by Bendix/King by Honeywell, for a chance to win one of five
AV8OR GPS units. The lucky winner of the unit given away at AERO
Friedrichshafen in Germany in early April was Nikolaus Gable from
Memingham, Germany. In conjunction with our daily show coverage at Sun
'n Fun, we gave away four AV8ORs and the winners are: Brian Catchpoole
of Lincolnshire, UK; Marianne Blair of Waynsboro, VA; Andrew Vlack of
Westmont, IL; and David Joseph of Lakeland, FL. Our thanks to those who
entered online and stopped by to see us at our booths at both shows. If
you weren't one of the lucky ones this time around, you'll have another
chance starting July 13 for AV8ORs that will be awarded after AirVenture
2009. Stay tuned for more details. More...

JA Air Center, Your Source
for the New Garmin GPSMap 696JA Air Center is YOUR source for Garmin equipment, including the
new GPSMap 696 with Victor Airways, Jet Routes, XM Weather, Terrain,
AOPA Airport Guide, and Safe Taxi. JA Air purchases used
GPS units, avionics, and aircraft.

JA Air Center is now open in Sugar Grove, IL (KARR) providing the
finest avionics installations, turbine/piston maintenance,
avionics/instrument service, mail order, and aircraft sales. Call
(800) 323-5966, or
click for more information.

Put AeroExpo Europe - Prague
and AeroExpo Europe - London on Your Show ScheduleAeroExpo Europe - Prague (May 22-24, 2009) will showcase
everything from ultralights to helicopters to business aircraft in the
heart of Europe, marketing to the European and emerging Eastern European
and Russian markets. AeroExpo Europe - London (June 12-14, 2009)
includes aircraft from light aircraft, pistons, and turboprops through
to VLJs (very light jets) and all parts and services for these general
aviation aircraft.
Go online for exhibitor and attendee
details.

AVWEB
INSIDER BLOG: FAA'S TURN TOWARD SECRECYBetween bird strike
data and the disastrous photo op for Air Force One over New York City,
the FAA seems to be relying more and more on secrecy in public affairs.
In the latest installment of our AVweb Insider blog, Paul
Bertorelli wonders what this may mean for the larger issue of aviation
safety. More...

Entegra Release 9 the Very
Best Flight Deck System in Aviation
Avidyne's Entegra Release 9 Integrated Flight Deck System
represents the next generation of integrated flight deck systems for
light general aviation. The Entegra Release 9 retrofit for Cirrus
SR20 & SR22 includes dual XGA high-resolution IFD5000 displays,
dual-redundant FMS900w systems with a QWERTY-style control/display unit,
next-generation fully-digital VHF radios, and dual WAAS/RNP-capable GPS
receivers. Find out more about The Best Flight Deck in Aviation
at
Release9.com.

NEW
PRESIDENT AT AIR CARE ALLIANCELindy Kirkland, who
retired from the Marine Corps in 2006 as the pilot of Marine One, is the
new president of the Air Care Alliance, a national organization of
public benefit flying groups. He spoke with AVweb's Russ Niles
about his goals for the Alliance. More...

Glasair  Two Weeks to Taxi
Your own Glasair, built by you (with professional assistance) in only
two weeks. It sounds too good to be true, but it's not. Kitplanes
editor Marc Cook went through the program and has more info.

"It's easy to
look good when things go smoothly," writes AVweb reader Jim
Wholey, "but Jet Air [at KSEE in El Cajon/San Diego] still
looks good when problems arise." Jim explains the stellar service that
makes Jet
Air our "FBO of the Week":

I arrived [at Gillespie Field] early in the evening but after
rental car agencies were closed. Due to a mix-up on dates, I did not
have a car waiting. The staff at Jet Air patiently investigated various
options and were able to arrange a temporary loaner car. But more
significant, they proved their high level of customer service to me!
(Thanks, Missy.)

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sales team.

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